Medical Applications of 3D Printing

Module description

• The course aims to provide an introduction to 3D printing. It will cover the basics of building a small 3D printer and understanding how the printer works. Students will also get insight into the cost effectiveness of 3D printing and its multiple applications in health care. Image segmentation of medical images such as CT and MR scans will be introduced in order to create 3D anatomical models such as a femur or an aorta. The course will also cover the basics of 3D design using the FreeCAD software. The students will learn how to prepare and translate the 3D models they created to 3D prints. Feedback will be sought from participants post-course via group feedback to inform future delivery and improvements.
• Upon completion of this course participants will know how to make their own 3D printer using a tool kit and know how to operate the printer. They will also understand the process followed to create 3D prints, such as how to segment a medical image to create a 3D anatomical model and how to design a 3D structure using Computer Aided Design software.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

• Build a 3D printer using a tool kit and operate it.
• Design CAD models using FreeCAD software.
• Recover and process data from digital resources.
• Use image segmentation of CT and MR scans to create 3D anatomical structures.
• Prepare and translate the 3D models they created to 3D prints.

Teaching pattern

• Lectures
• Tutorials
• Project work/ printing workshops
• Tours of departmental laboratories and museums

Module assessment

• Build of Printer - test objects to access quality (50%)
• Table display for project work (50%)

Credit value

• Classes can often be taken for credit towards degrees at other institutions, and are examined to university standards. To receive credit for King's summer classes, contact your home institution to ask them to award external credit. This class is equivalent to an undergraduate degree module and usually awarded 3-4 US credits or 7.5 ECTS.